Special Olympics Georgia (SOGA) will host the 2023 State Fall Games and the 2023 State Horse Show in October.
The State Fall Games will be Friday, October 6, and Saturday, October 7 at Freedom Park and other locations in Valdosta, Georgia.
SOGA is excited to welcome all athletes, coaches, volunteers, and spectators. Athletes will be competing in multiple events including Bocce, Cycling, Golf, and Softball.
The festivities will start on Friday, October 6th with the Opening Ceremonies at 7:30 pm., followed by the Lighting of the Torch from the LETR Executive Council members and local law enforcement. Mayor Scott James will perform the Welcome and Opening Games Declaration to kick off the competition. After the presentations are complete all athletes and delegates in attendance are invited to enjoy the fireworks show!
The competition will start on Saturday, October 7th at 8:00 am and continue at different venues until 4 pm. Athletes will also have the chance to attend Special Smiles, where they will receive a free dental screening. All athletes who fully complete the Healthy Athlete screening will receive a Chick-fil-A gift card.
The 2023 State Fall Games Grand Marshal is Jerome Hill. Hill is an accomplished professional basketball player and coach from Adel, Georgia. He has played basketball overseas for 8 years and is a two-time gold medalist. His basketball career has allowed him to travel to amazing places such as Iceland, Argentina, and Chile. During his career, he has also served as the head coach and assistant coach for Lowndes and Colquitt County schools, and he is skilled in motivating athletes to strive for excellence inside and outside of the classroom. He has extensive experience in sports as a player at the highest level, a solid foundation in the fundamentals of sports, the ability to mentor and positively guide athletes to their best ability.
Special Olympics Georgia would like to thank our Premier State Sponsors: Publix, UPS, Marlow’s Tavern, and Winter Construction for their dedicated support and loyalty to our athletes.
Special Olympics Georgia would also like to thank our Platinum State Sponsors: Coca-Cola and Knights of Columbus. Special Olympics Georgia would also like to thank the Presenting Sponsors for the 2023 State FallGames: Packaging Corporation of America (PCA), Berry Global, and Mingledorff’s, Inc. Without the dedication and support of these loyal sponsors, the 2023 State Fall Games would not be possible.
The 2023 State Horse Show will be Friday, October 6 – Saturday, October 7 at Chicopee Woods Agricultural Center located in scenic, Gainesville, Georgia.
SOGA is so excited to welcome all athletes, coaches, sponsors, and volunteers back to the State Horse Show competition. This is an open event, and we ask the community, family, and friends to come be “fans in the stands!”
Athletes will be competing in multiple events featuring: Working Trail, Unified Drill Team, Dressage, Western Riding, Western Horsemanship, English Equitation, and Showmanship throughout the competition.
The 2023 State Horse Show Grand Marshal is Miss Georgia 2023, Tara Schiphof. She is a native of North Carolina, but has called Georgia her home for over three years, currently residing in Sugar Hill, Georgia. She received a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Classical Ballet from the University of North Carolina School of the Arts, and loves to serve her state and her community at large.
Special Olympics Georgia would like to thank our Premier State Sponsors: Publix, UPS, Marlow’s Tavern, and Winter Construction for their dedicated support and loyalty to our athletes. Special Olympics Georgia would also like to thank our Platinum State Sponsors: Coca-Cola and Knights of Columbus, and Official Games Sponsors, for their dedicated support and loyalty to our athletes.
Special Olympics Georgia sends a special thank you to the Presenting Sponsors for the 2023 State Horse Show: Honda USA Foundation, Owens & Minor, and Yardi Systems. Without the dedication and support of these loyal sponsors, the 2023 State Horse Show would not be possible. For more information on all event logistics for the 2023 State Horse Show, please contact Liz Smith at Liz.Smith@SpecialOlympicsga.org.
About Special Olympics Georgia (SOGA)
SOGA provides year-round sports training and athletic competition in a variety of Olympic-type sports for 17,731 children and adults with intellectual disabilities, giving them continuing opportunities to develop physical fitness, demonstrate courage, experience joy, and participate in the sharing of gifts, skills, and friendships with their families, other Special Olympics athletes, and the community. For more information, visit www.specialolympicsga.org
